Peas are one of my favorite vegetables to grow every summer.
They are quick to produce, easy to harvest, and good to eat! I normally grow my peas in rows, and you can of course grow them without a trellis. However, there are several benefits to a trellis! A trellis will lift the pea plants’ folliage off the ground and support the thin stem where it connects to the root system. It also makes it easier to see and harvest the pea pods as they ripen. The problem with buying a trellis is how expensive it can get! That’s why I have a quick and easy way for you to trellis any vegtable row in your garden that won’t break the bank. You will need:
- garden twine
- medium sized stakes
- a hammer
- scissors
I used sturdy plastic stakes like this for my trellis.
I have used wooden stakes in the past, but they don’t last as long and the string is easier to tie on the plastic ones because they are round and have dents that prevent the twine from slipping. I normally wait to set up the trellis until after the peas have sprouted. This let’s me see exactly where the plants will be so I can place the trellis directly overhead. The amount of stakes you will need will vary depending on how many rows you need to do and the length of those rows. I recommend placing stakes every 5-6 ft so your twine will stay taut. I had 2 rows of peas this year, each was about 15 ft long, so I ended up using 6 garden stakes.
Start by pounding a each stake into the ground starting at one end of the row. The spacing of your stakes doesn’t need to be exact, just remember that the more space between stakes, the more slack in the line there will be. You should have at least half of the stake pounded into the ground so that they will remain stable. I used 3ft stakes and left 1ft above the ground.
After your stakes are in, start at one end of the row and tie the end of your twine around the stake toward the bottom. You’re going to want 2 lines of twine stretched across your stake so that your pea plants will be supported while they are growing. After your first knot is complete, stretch your twine to the next stake and tie anouther knot at the same level as the first. Make sure to keep the line taut while you are tying the knot. Repeat until you have reached the other end. Tie off the last knot and cut your twine. Then start on the second line, this time toward the top of the stake. Repeat the steps going back across your stakes. At the end, tie it off and voila! You’ve got yourself and cheap and easy trellis.
